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Posts Tagged ‘Goat Milk Soap’

Wash Your Monday Blues Away Contest

Posted in All In A Day's Time, tagged Contest, Goat Milk Soap on January 5, 2009| 4 Comments »

The Annies Goat Hill Wash Your Monday Blues Away contest is running again this morning!

I am looking forward to seeing who is the winner of a bar of goat milk soap!

Ingredient Article #4 – Coconut Oil

Posted in Products, tagged Coconut Oil, Goat Milk Soap, Ingredients on January 3, 2009| 4 Comments »

Coconut oil is a very common ingredient in soap and bath and body products, generally referred to as a base or fixed oil.Coconut oil is a tropical oil, shipped mainly out of the Philippines. The majority of the coconut oil that we purchase is processed from the copra, which is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.

Coconut oil is an excellent skin moisturizer and softener. It seldom causes adverse reactions. It provides bubbly lather and hardness in bars of soap. Coconut oil is often used as a carrier oil in massage oils, creams, lotions, and bath salts. Coconut oil is also touted as a health food, as it contains lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid that is said to increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

When I made my first purchases of base oils for soap making I was rather confused by the various terms associated with coconut oil. Questions arose, such as, what does fractionated mean? What is RBD? Why 76 degree? The purpose of this article is to break down some of that confusion.

Coconut Oil Terminology –

Extra Virgin Organic – the oil is derived from fresh coconut meat, meat that is not dried. This type of coconut oil is more susceptible to heat variances. The shelf life of extra virgin organic coconut oil is not as stable as the oil obtained from the dried coconut meat. This type of coconut oil can be used in cooking.

Fractionated – the oil comes from dried coconut meat. Through a steam distillation process, the triglycerides have been removed, the saturated fats remain. The oil is more heat stable, remains liquid at low temperatures. The oil has a much longer shelf life, and is much less greasy, making it more suitable for soap and skin care formulas.

RBD – the oil comes from dried coconut meat. The oil is refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD). This makes the oil suitable for bath and body formulas, however, it is not suitable for consumption. RBD coconut oil is very resistant to rancidity and oxidation.

Degrees (92, 76) – due to a hydrogenation process, the coconut oil is set to begin melting right below 92 or 76 degrees.

Coconut oil has been an interesting ingredient to research, and I learned a few things! The next article will cover palm oil. I am going to ask for some input regarding that research. There is much concern concerning the harvesting of palm and the depletion of the rain forests.

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Contest Winner

Posted in All In A Day's Time, tagged Contest, Goat Milk Soap on December 23, 2008| 1 Comment »

The winner for this week’s Wash Your Monday Blues Away contest is Fondaleette D., from Michigan! Within moments of the contest start time yesterday morning, Fondaleette found the GC initials inbedded on the My Herd photo album page on the Annie’s Goat Hill website. She whipped that email right out to me! 🙂 Fondaleette chose a bar of baby powder scented goat milk soap. Fondaleette is a great friend, one I have known for several years. She is a busy grandmother, mother, and is a sister to Amy, the winner from last week’s contest. She also tries to send a lot of her Michigan snow down to Ohio, despite me asking her not to! Congratulations, Fondaleette!

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Ingredient Article #2 – Olive Oil

Posted in Products, tagged Goat Milk Lotion, Goat Milk Soap, Ingredients, Olive Oil, Skin Care on December 22, 2008| 7 Comments »

Olive oil is a popular ingredient in soap and body care products.

For thousands of years, olives have been squeezed or pressed to obtain the oil. This is a photo of a Greek olive press. Many people across the world (especially in European and Mediterranean countries) are still obtaining their olive oil using this laborious method.

It is said that the Egyptians knew the moisturizing benefits of olive oil. They generously applied the oil to their skins, then scraped the oil off, which removed the dirt and left the skin softened.

It is estimated that olive oil was first used in soap around the year 1567. Today we continue to make castile soap, with olive oil being the base oil in the recipe. Castile soap is mild, moisturizing, long lasting, with a creamy low-bubble lather.

There are several types of olive oil. The main types are:

Virgin – the oil is derived using physical methods (olives are crushed or squeezed)

Refined – the oil is derived using physical methods, but is treated to reduce strong tastes and acids

Pomace – the oil is extracted from crushed olives (the pomace) using chemical solvents, then it is refined to make it edible (generally used in commercial kitchens)

Olive oil has many external and internal beneficial properties. Olive oil is an antioxidant, is very cleansing internally to the body. Olive oil can help lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels, especially when olive oil replaces unhealthy fats in the diet. Olive oil is very well known for skin moisturizing, especially adding benefits to mature skin. Olive oil is not known to clog the skin pores.

In soap, olive oil is used as a base oil (alone) or with other base oils to help harden the finished product, and to provide extra moisturizing properties to the soap. In lotion and cream products, olive oil leads to a thicker, richer base, and is very beneficial for dry skin.

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Wash Your Monday Blues Away Contest 12/22

Posted in All In A Day's Time, tagged Contest, Goat Milk Soap on December 22, 2008| 1 Comment »

The Wash Your Monday Blues Away contest continues (start time in 5 minutes)! The original rules apply. I am having fun with this, and I cannot wait to see who wins a bar of soap this week!

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Ingredient Article #1 – Lye

Posted in Products, tagged Goat Milk Soap, Ingredients, Lye on December 19, 2008| 10 Comments »

Today I am going to begin a series of articles that will explain common ingredients that are used in the making of soap, skin and bath products.

Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)

Lye (NaOH, sodium hydroxide) is a white caustic soda easily dissolved in water and other liquids.

The lye that is purchased commercially today is derived from running an electrical current through salt water.

Lye is commonly used in various methods of soap making. It is also used in the manufacturing of pulp and paper, detergents, textiles, vegetable oil refining, and water treatments.

Lye is classed as being in the upper limit of the PH scale, and is highly dangerous once it is added to a liquid. Lye and water, for example, produces heat, and can burn skin and eyes, therefore, precautionary measures (such as goggles and gloves) are absolutely necessary when working with the product. Lye can also react to a small amount of moisture, such as humidity in the air. The product must always be kept in an airtight container. If spilled, it must immediately be disposed of properly.

Soap has been around for thousands of years, but for the sake of writing space, we are going to go back to the colonial and pioneer eras to look into the history of how soap was made. Soap was available in general stores in the 1850’s, but many women made soap at home during that era. It was not uncommon for a group of women to gather together to make soap in very large batches a couple of times a year.

My first question was, how did the families make their own lye? People heated their homes and cooked using fire. The hardwood ash remaining from those fires was the base ingredient in lye. The ash was placed in a box or kettle, sometimes called a “leacher” box, set up just for lye making purposes. Water was then added to the ash. Slowly, sometimes for an entire day, the water leached through the ash. The final product was lye (the leached water) which was collected for soap making.

In the early logs in history, it is told that fat from meat processing was rendered, cleaned and filtered, and added to the lye, which began the saponification process (the process of fats turning to soap). As the mixture thickened it was poured into large crates. Days later the soap was cut into bars. The bars were left to cure, become mild, and harden, which took approximately a month to complete.

We are much more precise in our soap making processes today. Many of us use vegetable oils in our soap recipes. Many of us test our soaps, so we know that our end product (soap that has cured for 6 weeks) is very mild, with a low pH value. Our basic process lye+fat has not changed in a considerable way, but the result is a much cleaner, uniform, and skin loving product.

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Back To Soaping

Posted in In The Soap Shop, tagged Goat Milk Soap on December 17, 2008| 4 Comments »

It was a dark, gray, cold day in Southwest Ohio. But I got to do my most favorite thing, under the flourescent lights, and that means the sun shined for me! 🙂

Today was also the day to reorganize the shop. I like to recycle materials, especially shipping materials. But do we really need that many packing peanuts? And boy, are they ever fun to bag or box up. I accomplished what I set out to do though. Bag after bag, box after box!

There is something to say for soap crafting, in my book. Being creative, relaxing, and doing what feels good. Knowing that I can share these good things, the end product, with people that I care about.

It is always a good feeling to see soap in the molds!

And as I went to turn off the lights, I stopped and looked at the bulletin board behind my desk. The board is filled with cards, post cards, and other soap and goat related items from well-wishers, family and friends. Thank you! And, God Bless!!!

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Contest Winner

Posted in All In A Day's Time, tagged Goat Milk Soap on December 16, 2008| 1 Comment »

Before I run down to the barn to feed the critters, I wanted to post this week’s Wash Your Monday Blues away winner!

Amy found the inbedded GC (Goat Chat) link on the Annie’s Goat Hill FAQ’s page.

Her choice was a bar of honey oatmeal goat milk soap!

I have had the honor of knowing Amy through Goat Chat this past year. Amy resides in Michigan. She is a wonderful lady, with a sense of humor that I so much appreciate! I love a good laugh, and she certainly can provide it. Amy has had to deal with a lot of health issues in her life. I wish she didn’t have to battle the things that she does, but I can say without a blink of an eye, she inspires me, with a reminder that strength within ourselves is key! Thank you, Amy! Keep that faith! And you certainly were fast in finding that link!!!!

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Wash Your Monday Blues Away Contest

Posted in All In A Day's Time, tagged Goat Milk Soap on December 14, 2008| 1 Comment »

For those of you that do not know, I live a busy life. I run a soap and bath product business, handle a goat herd, and I am a moderator on a goat forum. I am also very much a home-based person, and I much appreciate my husband and life on the farm.

The goat forum that I help moderate is called Goat Chat. I am proud to provide a link to the forum. And I want to announce a contest that will be running at that site for at least 6 weeks.

Please do not look for any formal legalities with this contest. The gift is one of my bars of soap. You do not have to be a Goat Chat member to win, but I would appreciate it if you would visit the site.

Goat Chat: http://z11.invisionfree.com/GoatChat/index.php

About the contest:

Wash Away Your Monday blues contest!!

This contest ought to be a fun one…and there is a real prize involved!

To win the contest all you need to do is go to my website and find the initials GC (underlined). Once you find the initials you must go to the Contact Us page on my website and send an email to Annie’s Goat Hill.

The first person that I receive an email from that identifies the correct page that contains the initials GC will receive a bar of soap, compliments of Annie’s Goat Hill.

Your email must include the name of the page where you found the initials GC, your full name, and your mailing address. In that initial email you must also tell me what type of soap you are requesting.

Within 3 days of receipt of your email your bar of soap will be sent to you via mail (USPS).

I do not have many rules for this contest, but here are those few:
-The contest will run beginning at 8:00 AM (Eastern time) each Monday. Closing time for each contest will be 12:00 AM (Eastern time) each Tuesday.
-Winners will be announced via GC and my blog each Tuesday morning (or afternoon) depending upon my schedule, preferably by 1:00 PM Tuesday.
-No repeat winners within the same calendar month.
-I will be the judge of the email received times/dates.. Annie’s Goat Hill will not provide proof of the emails received. You have to trust me on this one (and you can)!
-You must allow me to give at least your first name, general location, and a very small tidbit about you on both GC and my blog when I announce the winner each week.
-The email that you send must come directly from my website.
-The soap will be mailed to you, no UPS shipments.
-Shipment will be made to the continental US or Canada. If you wish shipment to be made to other locations, you will be required to pay for the shipping.
-I will edit rules if extreme circumstances arise (none expected).
-The most important rule is have fun!!

A note from myself…you might be wondering why am I doing this? Many of you have expressed that you would like to try my soaps. This is your opportunity! I care about everyone, I am proud of GC, and I am proud of what I do (my products). No catches involved, none! And it is time for a good contest on GC and otherwise!

So, start picking our your scent/type of soap…and be ready to find GC (which, by the way, will also be linked to Goat Chat).

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Soap Pot in the Shop

Posted in In The Soap Shop, tagged Goat Milk Soap on December 12, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Back in the soap making saddle today. It has been a busy week with many other chores.

The camera went along with me today. This photo makes me smile. The soap shop, a warm place to tuck myself away and create the things that I truly enjoy.

Thank you to my supportive husband, friends, and family, who understand my crazy drive to do what I do! And to my husband (again) for making sure I have the place to do what I do!

Today was the day for batches of lavender and honeysuckle. I try to stay as natural as possible, but despite it being a fragrance oil, the honeysuckle is definitely a mind soother.